Moustakas, Royals slide past White Sox, 2-1

Kansas City takes rubber match in series against AL Central foe Chicago

Kansas City Royals' Mike Moustakas, right, celebrates after scoring off a hit by Norichika Aoki and the catching error by Chicago White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers during the ninth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, in Chicago.

CHICAGO — Mike Moustakas starred with his bat on Tuesday night. The following afternoon he played hero with his legs.

Moustakas scored the tie-breaking run Wednesday when he jarred the ball out of the catcher’s glove in the ninth inning to give the Royals a 2-1 win against the White Sox.

The victory, Kansas City’s 12th in its last 14 starts at U.S. Cellular Field, marked the first time since July 2-4 that the Royals have won consecutive games. They are 5-10 since then.

“I feel a lot better leaving Chicago than I did after the first game in Chicago,” manager Ned Yost said. “After the problems you run into, you can’t lose faith. You can’t start panicking. You can’t think the ship is sinking. You’ve got to stay positive, because these guys have the ability to fight through it and get themselves out of it.”

Moustakas has been in an offensive funk for much of the season, but he hit a pair of home runs and drove in three runs Tuesday night to lead Kansas City to a 7-1 win. He continued leading the way on Wednesday, triggering the decisive rally with a lead-off single off Zach Putnam (3-2), the last of four White Sox pitchers.

Alcides Escobar bunted him over before Nori Aoki hit a flare to center field. Adam Eaton’s strong throw beat Moustakas to the plate, but catcher Tyler Flowers lost control of the ball upon contact. Flowers was charged with an error on the play.

“With the (new) rules, you kind of have to obey them,” said Moustakas, who was at a four-inch, 30-pound disadvantage in the matchup. “You don’t really think about trying to truck anybody. That’s a big boy behind home plate there. It’s probably not a good idea to go that route.”

Flowers said he thought he had the ball.

“The replay looked like his knee on impact was literally straight into the webbing of the glove,” Flowers said. “I wish I could have hung onto it, but there’s nothing I could do different.”

Yost liked the jump off second base as much as the slide itself.

“(Moustakas) got a tremendous read on Nori’s base hit,” Yost said. “If he doesn’t get the read that he had, he doesn’t have the opportunity to score.”

Wade Davis (6-2) pitched one scoreless inning and Greg Holland retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his 26th save in 27 tries.

After the teams traded runs in the first inning, starters James Shields and Jose Quintana matched each other for six scoreless innings. Neither was overwhelming, but both were able to get key outs when necessary.

Shields allowed six hits in seven innings. He walked one batter and struck out seven.

“I just try to go out there every five days and pitch my game no matter where I’m at,” Shields said.

In seven innings, Quintana gave up seven hits and two walks and struck out three batters. He remained winless (0-5) against the Royals in 11 career starts.

The no decision was the 36th for Quintana since the 2012 season, the most in the majors.

Chicago’s Adam Dunn singled to tie the score at 1-1 in the first inning. The hit scored Jose Abreu, who had doubled with two outs. Abreu (sore back) was back in action after a one-game layoff.

Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly gave the Royals a 1-0 lead.

NOTES

■ No sooner did Hosmer return to the lineup after a two-game absence than he aggravated his bruised hand on a checked swing and left the game. His status was listed as day to day.

■ Following his 1-for-3 performance on Wednesday, Moustakas’ batting average is up to .199. The Royals’ third baseman hasn’t been above .200 all season.

■ Davis has not allowed an extra-base hit in 42 2/3 innings this season.

■ Four hitless at-bats left White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham with a .132 batting average since June 9, when he was at his high point (.298) of the season.

■ White Sox OF Dayan Viciedo was a late scratch because of tightness in his left hamstring. Moises Sierra replaced him in right field.

■ White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper (vertigo) did not accompany the team to Minneapolis for the start of a seven-game road trip. Bullpen coach Bobby Thigpen assumed his duties for the third consecutive game.

■ White Sox OF Avasail Garcia (shoulder surgery) will accelerate his workout routine on the road trip. No timetable has been set for a rehab assignment.

■ In his professional debut, White Sox first-round draft pick Carlos Rendon allowed one run in one inning of relief in the Arizona Rookie League on Tuesday.

■ Wednesday marked the five-year anniversary of Mark Buehrle’s perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field.